Posts from ColeThornton in thread „Roles Turned down by John Wayne“

Quote from The Ringo Kid

Cole, I have to disagree with you on Shenandoah and it being an anti-war film. Can you please point out to me what is so anti-war about it? It's nothing like movies like: "Custer of the West" which IS an anti-war,anti-US Govt, movie.

As for Stewart's career having any decline, it sure does NOT show. What's the name of the ""one"" proper war movie? I'm curious.

Shenandoah shows that war is always a bad thing. Stewart's character in the film was very anti-war. Ironically he did support the Vietnam War. His son is killed (although since the part was played by 35-year-old Glenn Corbett it looked more like his younger brother).

Stewart's last big success prior to Shenandoah was Anatomy of a Murder, which although ovberlong and studio bound did give him the chance to play a different character. Vertigo had been a disappointment the year before, although it was not the huge failure many think it was. He made a very bad western wityh John Ford called Two Rode Together, in which he overacted and Richard Widmark was an overage lieutenant, and then there was the commercial failure The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance in which a 53-year-old Stewart was miscast as a young lawyer just out of law school. Subsequent movies like Mr Hobbs Takes a Vacation were generally seen only by his old fans, and a pointless cameo as Wyatt Earp in John Ford's Cheyenne Autumn was generally cut from the film when it was shown.

Stewart's only real war movie was The Mountain Road in 1959. He was offered numerous war films but, since he knew what war was like, he turned them all down.

Quote from The Ringo Kid

I agree that movie was well cast but, I do believe that Duke would havd also been great in the role of the Father. I never looked at this movie as an anti-war movie which it aint. An anti-war movie is one such as platoon, or apacalypse now and thin red line - all of which are way overrated and suck prune pits. In other words, films like those make me want to

I fail to see how Shenandoah was anything but anti-war. Although I'm not a great fan of Stewart I did feel tears welling in my eyes during his final speech to his wife's grave. It is notable that Stewart only ever made one proper war film, turning down all the others because, as he said, "they're hardly ever like the real thing." His career had declined after "Anatomy of a Murder" in 1959, but "Shenandoah" restored him to the Top 10 Box Office stars for one final time in 1965.

Yes, Stewart had played a pacifist before, in the excellent western Broken Arrow. I can't see Duke in either of those roles.

Shenandoah was a huge success because it was an anti-war film as the Vietnam conflict was esculating. Although it had Patrick Wayne in the cast, I'm not sure Duke could have played the father.

Quote from chester7777

You seem to have a little trouble making up your mind, Cole.

I meant the film was a huge success. However, with Wayne (who was approaching his 60th birthday) it would not have had the same impact. Like Kelly's Heroes and Patton, The Dirty Dozen was anti-war and Wayne would not have liked many things about the film.

I'm not sure about that, The Dirty Dozen was an anti-war film at the time of the Vietnam conflict. It would have been radically altered if he had starred in it because he would have objected to many things.

Yes, Marvin was only 42 and perfectly cast. Really it's just as well Duke did turn it down otherwise it might not have been as good.

He made a big mistake turning the film down. I believe The Dirty Dozen was filmed in 1966 so he could have made it and then The Green Berets the nex year. Although, at 59 Wayne would have been a bit old for Lee Marvin's role.

Yes I always felt The Shootist was where he had to finish. No other star except Clark Gable has gone out on such a high note.

Well I just meant that at 72 he would have been old to be the star of a film. Some of Eastwood later movies like True Crime and Blood Work were not successful, and Sean Connery's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was a disaster. Those are the only two stars I can think of who were still playing the lead role in a movie in their seventies.

I don't think he would have made a movie in 1979, because Duke's last movies were not very successful and he was too old to be the star of a film.

He was also apparently considered for the role of rancher Bick Benedict in "Giant" in 1955. The part went to his future co-star Rock Hudson.